The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) plans to provide early childhood development support to every child who qualifies for Grade R in the province by 2009.

Grade R is the Reception year before Grade One, and marks the end of pre-primary schooling before learners enter primary school.

The Western Cape currently subsidies about 27 000 Grade R learners in 357 ECD sites.

ECD is provided essentially by independent preschools operating in ordinary public school premises and at community-based sites.

Given that about 80 000 learners register for Grade One each year, we estimate that we have to expand our support to about 53 000 learners eligible for Grade R over the next six years.

We will do so by identifying areas experiencing the greatest need, and by working through them systematically in conjunction with other interested parties, to ensure that all areas are covered.

We already accommodate 100% of children who qualify for Grade One in the province. It is an achievable goal to expand Grade R coverage in a similar fashion.

It has been estimated that about 300 000 children do not have access to ECD in the Western Cape. This includes all children younger than seven-years-old.

Our focus in education is on supporting the 80 000 children who qualify for Grade R, prior to entering Grade One. Social Welfare subsidises children younger than six years of age at day-care centres and preprimary schools.

We are working closely with all role players through structures such as the Coordinating Committee for Early Childhood Development (CCECD) to ensure that we coordinate our efforts.

The CCECD includes representatives of state departments, unions and non-governmental organisations involved in pre-school care and education.

Our current budget for ECD is R53.7-million, which includes funds from the province and a national conditional grant for ECD. This expenditure is substantial, and we must ensure that it is spent as effectively as possible.

One way of ensuring effective, efficient expenditure of these funds has been to change the way in which we subsidise preprimary schools.

In the past, we subsidised teaching posts. We now withdraw these posts as they fall vacant, and use the savings to subsidise Grade R learners in disadvantaged areas. This approach is making it easier for us to expand ECD in poor communities.

The current subsidy for Grade R learners is R3 a day for 200 days a year, for a maximum of 30 children per class.

We are also assisting all preprimary schools as they prepare their staff for teaching learners in Grade R.

This support includes providing training free of charge to Grade R teachers on the revised national curriculum in all preprimary schools.

In addition, we will provide free Grade R teaching kits to preprimary schools throughout the Western Cape. The kits include learning support materials and equipment needed to prepare children for Grade One.

We plan to deliver the first 155 kits to schools in September. We will supply kits to the remaining ECD sites once the necessary tendering procedures have been completed.

We want to ensure that all children in the province are given an equal chance in life as they start their school careers. A good way to start is to provide access to Grade R to as many children as possible, especially in our poor communities.